Wild Arms 2: A Bittersweet Affair
by Arthy Pink
Summary: Five years ago, Antenora Victoria's family was guillotined under the leadership of Vinsfeld's Revolution Army. She has hated him with a passion ever since and has vowed to avenge her loved ones. When fate allows them to meet, Antenora will do all in her power to destroy the man who stole everything from her-even if that meant making him fall in love with her.


**A Wild Arms 2 Fanfiction: A Bittersweet Affair**

_This fanfiction is my vision of the untold story between Odessa's Vinsfeld Rhadamanthus and Antenora Victoria._

_After defeating Antenora in her Diablo Pillar, I was left with the question: "What the f*ck really happened to her after the war?" I was curious to learn the exact details of her journey as a survivor to becoming Vinsfeld's lover. I knew I would never get answers so I began to form theories about their relationship and " A Bittersweet Affair" was born!_

_I first made this into a webcomic, but later decided to write it in prose instead. English isn't my native language, and I'm willing to learn if there are corrections. Wild Arms isn't a very popular series, compared with Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest or Kingdom Hearts. But the series DOES have characters that leave a lasting impression. Antenora and Vinfeld, belonging to that field._

_Happy reading! I would love to hear your thoughts._

Five years ago, Antenora Victoria's family was guillotined under the leadership of Vinsfeld's Revolution Army. She has hated him with a passion ever since and has vowed to avenge her loved ones. When fate allows them to meet, Antenora will do all in her power to destroy the man who stole everything from her-even if that meant making him fall in love with her.

**Chapter 1: The Tragedy**

X1255, the year that changed my life forever.

That was the year when my country of Slayheim was submerged in a terrible war. The people were tired of the monarchy's oppression of their freedom and rights. Several factions were formed by numerous brave souls to incite a rebellion that would change Slayheim's future. None have been successful, until one man-Vinsfeld Rhadamanthus.

He was an unimportant man for the Nobles. Nobody took him seriously; that was the biggest mistake the Slayheim Nobles made.

The man united all the unsuccessful small factions until it became a large fighting force that the Nobles began to fear. The Nobles' superweapon, the "Nuke", was their edge over the rebels. It was more than enough to silence its enemies. Unsurprisingly, Vinsfeld wasn't one of them.

The war between the power hungry Nobles and the people raged for months. Some Nobles deflected for the Revolution Army, while some chose to be neutral. Some Nobles sided with the Royal Family, the owners of the superweapon. That decision turned out to be a very big mistake.

My family, the Victorias, were moderates. We didn't want to be involved with the war. Sadly, a night before we were captured, my parents made the mistake of allying themselves with the Royal family. They wanted to believe that the governing monarchy over Slayheim could solve the problem.

It was the last mistake my parents made.

On a stormy afternoon in X1255, all the Royal Family collaborators were lined up in the castle courtyard. Hundreds of people stood to witness this life-changing act. The event was to serve as punishment to the people who did not choose the correct side of justice. This event was to punish the collaborators of the fallen Slayheim monarchy.

I trembled when I saw two familiar figures stand among the collaborators. My parents. They looked dejected. But who wouldn't, especially when it was their turned to be guillotined?

I tried my best not to scream, else I give myself away. Yesterday, my parents managed to let me escape. They tried to follow me too, but they were caught. The bruises they wore today were evident that they were punished.

One. Two. Three. CHOP!

My parents heads fell in their respective baskets. I did not scream, nor do I remember anything that happened afterward. The next thing I knew, I was lying in a soft warm bed in a large bedroom. The sunlight glaring from the windows pierced my eyes. Where was I? I pushed away my dark red hair to have a better view of the place.

A soft knock came from the door and it opened to reveal a small, frail-looking old woman. She was carrying a tray containing a bowl of porridge and a glass of water. She smiled at me with kind eyes and sat on a chair beside my bed.

"Thank goodness, you've finally awaken. I was starting to believe that you would never wake up again."

I touched my head. What exactly happened to me? I remembered being captured. I remembered escaping. I remembered the chopped heads of my parents. Oh no! Tears fell from my eyes. I couldn't stop them. I began to sob, and the old woman held me. She didn't say anything asides from holding me in her arms.

When I finally relaxed, the old woman introduced herself as a grandmother of the Innkeeper in Quartly. She said they found me roaming around the desert in a daze. They saved me when I collapsed on the ground. I was disheveled and it appeared I had not been eating for days. Honestly, I don't remember anything after the guillotine.

I told the old lady who I was and what had happened to me. I saw sorrow in her eyes for me when I told her my story, but I didn't mind. I just talked and she listened.

"How long did I fall asleep?" I scooped the porridge and ate it. Goodness! I was famished!

" Four days since we found you." She told me. She offered me the glass of water when I choked on the porridge. "Eat slowly, Antenora."

I gulped the water she offered. "Thank you."

She left me alone in the room, only to return with another tray of food. I happily indulged myself, forgetting about the tragedy I had seen. After I had eaten, I once again talked to the kind old lady.

"It has been a month since the Guillotine, Antenora. Many people were dissatisfied with the way the Revolution Army dealt with the collaborators. They found it frightening. Because of their fear of what the rebel army could do, the people began to hate them and called them 'criminals'".

Criminals. What a perfect word to describe those scoundrels. The old lady continued.

"While the people were grateful that the Slayheim Monarchy was removed from power, they were not particularly happy with the Rebel armies, especially after the guillotine. After that incident, some of the rebel armies were arrested and placed into prison."

"What?" my jaw dropped. What the hell happened? "Why were they arrested? Weren't they supposed to be War heroes? They were the ones who removed the royal family!"

She nodded. "True, but let me remind you that they did other things too. Civilians were killed. A lot of people were killed. The people needed someone to blame, and the rebel army were the ones that remained."

"What happened to their leader? Was he thrown in prison as well?"

"You mean Vinsfeld Rhadamanthus? No, he wasn't thrown into prison. He escaped. Apparently, he disappeared a night or two before the final attack. No one knows where he is or what happened to him."

My blood boiled. That rebel army organizer escaped? He should be the one guillotined! If he hadn't united those factions, none of these events would have happened. None! Vinsfeld Rhadamanthus was responsible for the death of my parents and my relatives. He would pay!

"Young lady, you should not pursue what you want to do."

"What do you mean?" I snarled at her.

"I see hatred burning in your eyes. Don't deny it. You want to have revenge against Vinsfeld. Please, forget it. He disappeared and is nowhere to be found. He could be dead. So please, don't waste your life pursuing revenge."

I gave her a weak sad smile. "Old lady,n o matter how kind you are, I'm afraid your kindness cannot erase this hatred I feel for him. That murderer who stole my family away. He will definitely pay!"

The old lady frowned and told me words I would always remember for the rest of my life. "Life is all about the consequences of our decisions, Antenora. If you decide to live a life based on pursuing your hatred, then please be prepared for the consquences. You reap what you sow. Your sadness will beget sadness."

Perhaps I was too focused on my hatred that I refused to hear the knowledge behind her words. I stayed with her at the Inn, and when I was strong enough, I decided to leave. I had a distant cousin in Meria Boule so I went there. The Valerias of Meria Boule welcomed me with open arms. And so, I lived there for the next two years, until fate played its cruel game upon me.


End file.
